Refrigerating apparatus



1933 w H. R. VAN DEVENTER 1,934,155

REFRIGERAT I NG APPARATUS Filed June 27, 1930 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M R 91 10 INYENTOR I 57 A ATTORNEY 1933- H. R. VAN DEVENTER 1,934,155

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed June 27, 1930 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application June 27, 1930. Serial No. 464,259

1 Claim.

ims invention relates to refrigerating apparatus, and more particularly to refrigerating apparatus of the compression type wherein'an hermetically sealed unit, that is, a unit wherein both the motor and compressor are located within a sealed casing, is used to remove and compress the evaporated refrigerant from theevaporator into the condenser or liquefying unit.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved compressing unit for refrigerating apparatus. More particularly to provide an improved compressing unit including individual and separate motor and compressor units, which units may be constructed, assembled, and tested individually before they are combined to form an hermetically sealed compressing unit.

A further object of this invention is to provide a motor compressing unit for refrigerating apparatus including two individual casings adapted to be combined to form a sealed unit, each casing including either a compressor or a motor, and each casing with its motor or compressor comprising a separate unit, capable of being tested before assembly and capable of being individually removed without affecting the other.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical view of a compression refrigerating system having incorporated therein amotor-compressor unit, shown partly in section and partly in elevation, and in unassembled form; and

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and. partly in elevation of a completely assembled motorcompressor unit. I I

In order to illustrate my invention I have disclosed a refrigerating system of the compression type having .incorporated therein an hermetically sealed motor-compressor unit, which unit is shown as embodying features of this invention. Referring to Fig. 1 the motor-compressor unit is generally designated by the reference character 10. The compressor 20, located therein as more fully set forth hereinafter, is connected to a condenser 21 through the conduit 22. A liquid receiver 23 is connected to the discharge end of the condenser 21, the liquid receiver being in turn connected through the conduit 24 to the evaporator 25. Refrigerant may flow through the parts in the order mentioned. That is, re-

-ing the compressor.

frigerant is compressed in the compressor 20, discharged through the conduit 22, into the condenser 21 where the compressed refrigerant liquefies, and finally collects in the receiver 23. From the liquid receiver 23, the refrigerant flows in liquid form to the evaporator 25 wherein it evaporates under a reduced pressure maintained by the compressor 20. The refrigerant vapors pass through the conduit 26 to the suction side of the compressor, as more fully set forth here- 5 inafter. The evaporator 25, which it should be understood is located within the compartment to be cooled, may be of any known form. Preferably it may be of the float controlled flooded typesimilar, for instance, to the evaporator disclosed in the patent to Oswald, 1,556,708, October The compressor 20 is driven by the motor 27 and in order to maintain the compartment which houses the evaporator 25, at a substantially even or constant temperature, means are provided for starting and stopping the motor compressor unit at predetermined high and low temperatures respectively. To this end the motor 27 is provided with electrical energy through the circuit 28. so Located within this circuit is a switch 29 operated by a bellows 30, which bellows is in open communication through the conduit 31 with the suction conduit 26 leading from the evaporator 25. Thus the switch 29 is responsive to predes5 termined high and low pressures within the evaporator 25. In view of the fact that the pressure within the evaporator 25 varies directly with the change in temperature therein, the switch 29 is in reality responsive to changes in temperature within the' evaporator 25.

The motor-compressor unit, designated by the reference character 10 is shown as including two separate and individual units 40 and 41. The unit 40 includes the base or end plate 42 and the bell shaped member 44 secured thereto with the gasket 48 therebetween by means of the threaded bolts 46. A compressor 20 is mounted within the bell shaped member 40, being secured to the base or end plate 42, and being provided with a discharge conduit 48, and with an intake passage .50. The compressor 20 is herein shown as of the rotary type and is almost wholly submerged in a liquid 52, which liquid may be lubricating oil. The conduit 54 having its intake end normally below the level of the lubricant 52, is provided for delivering lubricating oil'to the intake a passage of the compressor 20 for effectively seal- The compressor 20 is provided with a driving shaft to, which shaft passes through the ,plate 42, the plate 42 forming a bearing surface for the shaft, as shown at 62.

The second unit 41 also includes a base or end plate '70 and a bell shaped member 72 secured thereto by the screws 74. The bell shaped member 41 is provided with off set lugs 76, which lugs are provided with screw threaded passages communicating with, or aligned with similar screw threaded passages '78 in the base plate member 42. The motor 27 for driving the compressor 20 is located within the bell shaped member 41. It comprises a stator 80 secured to the walls of the casing 41 and a rotor 82 secured to a shaft 84 journaled in the bearing surface 86 formed in the end wall 88 of the bell shaped member 41, and in the bearing surface 90 formed in the base plate 70. The shaft 84 also extends through the base plate member '70. Electrical contacts 92 in the form of clamps, including the usual screw threaded bolts and nuts 100, are secured to the end wall 88 of the bell shaped member 41 and have connected thereto the leads 28 for supplying current to the motor 27.

As shown in Fig. 1, both the compressor unit designated at 40, and the motor unit designated at 41, are separate and independent units. The compressor unit 40 may be constructed, assembled, and tested as a unit by attaching to the drive shaft a driving member of any desired type. Likewise the motor unit, designated at 41 may be constructed, assembled, and tested as a unit, simply by supplying to the motor electrical energy, and, if desired, by connecting the shaft 84 to any member to be driven. As shown in Fig. 1 the units40 and 41 are so constructed that the compressor shaft 60 and the motor shaft 90 are aligned when the two casings 40 and 41 are brought together. The shafts may be joined by a universal joint or coupling located within the space between the casings and designated generally by the reference character 110 which may include the driving plate 116, the driven plate .118 and the resilient member 119. The gasket 112 is placed between the two casings 40 and 41 and the screws 114 pass through the openings in the lugs '76 into the aligned passages 78 of the base plate 42, thus forming a complete hermetically sealed unit. The conduit 22 leading to the condenser is connected to the opening or passage 118 for conducting the compressed gas from the casing 40 into the condenser 21 while the suction side of the compressor is connected through the passage 50 to the conduit 26 leading to the evaporator. A passage 120 is provided in the base plate 42 and a passage 122 is provided in the motor base plate whereby the motor casing may be maintained under suction pressure, and whereby any lubricant escaping along the drive shaft into the motor casing or into the space 130 between the motor casing 41 and the compressor casing 40 may be brought back to the casing 40. The bearing surfaces 62, 90, and 86 may be lubricated by means of oil passing through the oil duct shown in dot and dash lines in the shafts 60 and 84.

It is to be noted that the bearings 62 and 90 may be made as close fitting as ordinary machining operations will permit, and to this extent they may retard the fiow of fluids past the bearing surfaces, but the bearings are of an essentially non-sealing character, since after the unit is assembled, it is immaterial whether there is a slight leakage past the bearing surfaces, and in fact the efiiciency of operation is increased if some leakage is provided through the bearings. This type of bearing is distinguished from the relatively hermetic sealing type in which substantially no leakage can be permitted past the shaft in order to seal the refrigerant and lubricant in the system from the atmosphere as is usual in the type of compressor unit where the motor is exposed to the atmosphere.

Thus I have disclosed a compressing unit of the hermetically sealed type wherein both the motor and the compressor may each be constructed as separate and independent units, and may be separately tested out before assembling in the refrigerating system. Further, I have disclosed an hermetically sealed compressor unit wherein either a defective motor or a defective compressor may be replaced without disassembling the entire compressing unit. For example if the motor should become defective, it will be necessary merely to loosen the bolts 114 to remove the motor casing 41, and by plugging up the opening 120 and the oil duct in the shaft 60, no refrigerant will escape from the refrigerating system.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all .coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is as follows:

A motor compressor unit comprising a compressor section and a motor section in connectable and disconnectable sealing relation, said compressor section including a compressor, a compressor shaft, a casing adapted to form a hermetic shell around said compressor after final assembly and a frame having a non-sealing bearing for said compressor shaft and supporting said compressor shaft in operative position independently of said motor section whereby said compressor may betested in said compressor section before final assembly; and said motor section including a motor,

a motor shaft, a casing adapted to form a herunit.

HARRY R. VAN DEVENTER. 

